Foot accelerator



Sept. 21 1926.

E. I. MARSHALL FOOT ACCELERATOR Filed Jan. 15. 1926 Patented Sep t. 21,1926.

UNITED "STATES EDWARD I. MARSHALL,

I I 1,600,596 PATENT 0 rica; I

on ro's'rnn, NEBRASKA.

Application fi-led January 13,1926. "Serial No." 80,989. I

The present invention relates to improvements in foot accelerators for use particularly on motor vehicles of the Ford type.-

One or the important objects of the present invention is to provide a highly novel and simple means whereby the throttle may be actuated either by foot or by hand inclependently ofeach other.

A further object is to provide a foot accelerator of the above mentioned character .whereby the means provided for returning the foot actuating mechanism'to its normal position will not interfere with the usual hand throttle lever mounted on the steering column of a Ford automobile when said lever has been moved to a predetermined position.

A further object is to provide a foot accelerator of the above mentioned character which may be readily and easilyinstalled without necessitating any material alterationsof the parts of the vehicle with which the same-is adapted to be associated.

A still further'object is to provide a foot accelerator of the abovementioned charac terwhich is simple in construction;inexpeni sive,s trong and durable and further well adapted to the purpose for which it is des: ignated. i

Other objects andadvantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection ivith the 4 rectangular plate.

"In the drawing,- wherein for the purpose of illustration' isshown the preferred em bodiment ofmy invention, the nu'meral'l desi'gnates generally the'throttl-e lever ofa carburetor such as is mounted on aninternal combustion engineo'f an automobile of the Ford type.1 a

The carburetor in the present instance is indicated-at 2; theusual arm 3 extends' laterallyfrom theiupper 'endof the throttle leverl'rand is provided atfl it's outerfend i an 1 eye 'por tion' l.

. A substantiallytriangularfishaped 151M5 5 thereof is provided with "a'suita'ble opening which is adapted to register with the apertured head 4 for receiving the bolt 6. A substantially rectangular shaped plate-7 is provided with an opening 8 in the rear end portion thereofand through which the bolt 6 is also adapted to extend, this plate 7 b-eing disposed above the outer end o f'the arm 8 in the manner as more clearly illustrated in Figure 1. f

A pair of depending fingers 9 are formed on the forward end of the rectangular plate 7, the same extending downwardly on opposite sides of the'ar'm'3fan'd passing through suitablebpenings 10 provided therefor in the triangular shaped plateh. The lower free end of these fingers are curved upwardly to provide" hooks 11 whe'reby thefingers'are prevented from becomingaccidentally dis'engaged from the openingsIO that are pro- I vided therefor in the triangular shapedplate 5. An upstanding flange '12 is formedfiat one of the longitudinal side "edges 1015 the rectangular shaped plate 7 arrcllalongitudinal slot 1'3is formed in the aforementioned flange. The construction of the plate is more clearly disclose'din Figure 3 of the draw- The usual rodi'whio'hconnects the throttle of the carburetor-with the throttle -'lever mounted on the steering column, not

shown,--'i's' indicatedat '14. Theforward end of this rod is disposedlaterally an'd-the free end of the laterally disposed 'por tion. 15 of-this rod 'extendsthrough the slot 13 provided in'th'e flange 12 'andis dis; posed downwardly as indicated at 16 so as to prevent the "accidental displacement of the rod from the rectangular shaped-plate, I

thus providing a connection betweent-he rod and the throttle lever 1. 1 The oppositeendof the rod let is adapted to be connectedto the usual 'h'andlever mounted on the steering column inthe usual'manner. j

The foot accelerator further inc'ludesqan elongated rod, the" intermediate portion 1'7 of which is j'o-urnaled' in suitable brackets 18 7' secured to the under side of'th'e 't' pnoor board 1-9.] One end-ofthe rodisflispo'sed upwardly through the floor board in a. suit" able slot provided therefor; or opening stich as is indicated at 20;:said end p'o'rtioiifo f the rod'being thendiSpoSedtorwardly as i'ndi-Z sated atenana; suppoma ohFits trea ed the foot j engaging plate" 22; J The jother'efid ofthe r'odis disposed do'w' ivardly cate'tl at -23, and the lower "free end tened as illustrated at 24;, and tie flattened portion 2e'is provided with a suitable opening 25 through which extends the rear end or" an elongated rod 26. V A head 27 is pro: vided on the extremerear end of this rod to prevent its displacement from the lower end 24; of the rod providing the toot lever. The forward end of this rod is disposed laterally as at 23 and thence forwardly as at 29. 'i ie free endof the forwardly disposed portion 29 of said rod 26 terminates'in an 7 ular foot or hook 30 which extends 1) 4 I through a suitable openingprovided 1n the rniost end of the triangular shaped i cl relatively lightcoil spring 31 is secured one end to theother corner of the triilar plate 5 and at its opposite end to e carburetor 2 such as by attaching the spring around the needle valve 32. his coil spring provides ameans for returning the triangular shaped plate 5 and the throttle lever 1 to its normal position when the hand lever associatedwith the rod 14 is in its retarded position, 7

A relatively heavy coil spring 33 is secured at its upper end to the under side of the top fioor board 19st a point forwardly of the-intermediate portion 17 of the rod forming a part of the foot lever, the lower end of the coil spring 33 being secured to the downwardly projecting portion 23 at a point adjacent the flattened lower end 24.

It is obvious that when the usual hand lever as associated with the upper end of the rod 14 is actuated, the triangular shaped plate 5 will be moved laterally with respect to the throttle lever 1, and due to the down wardly disposed fingers 9 and 11 which engage therespective sides of the arm 3,.the arm will be operated to effect theactuation of the throttle lever 1, and the throttle plate associated therewithin the carburetor. This operation will in no way interfere or effect the actuation of the foot accelerator and the hand throttle lever may be set at any desired position. j I

In vorderto permit the throttle lever to be i actuated by theoperator ofthe vehicle without necessitating the use or" the hands, the foot engages the plate 22 of the foot lever 21 causing theintermediate portion 17 of the 7 rod to rotate inits bearingand simultanedepending fingersQIand 11, said arm will operate simultaneously with the plate, and

thereby causethethrottle lever 1 to be actuated for eifecting the openingof the throttle plate within the carburetor. It is of course understood that during the swinging movement of the plates 5 and 7, simultaneously with the arm 3 of the throttle lever 1,

when the foot accelerator is actuated that the hooked end 16 of the rod 14- will slide in the longitudinal slot 13 formed in the up- 7 standing flange 12.

. As soon as the foot is released trom'the plate 22, the coil spring 33 will automati-.

cally return the parts to their normal posieasily attached on the carburetor of an inter-.

nal combustion engine of the type such as are used on Ford automobiles without necessitating any material alteration of the parts of thevehicle with which my device is to-be associated. l urthermora-by constructing a foot accelerator of the. above mentioned character, the hand lever which is associated with the throttle lever may be actuated and set in any desired position without any possibility of the springassociated with the foot lever returning the parts totheir normal positions. 7 V

lVhile I have shown the preferred embodiment ofmy invention it isto be understood that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with the throttle lever ofacarburetor including the usual laterally extending arm associated therewith, of a plate disposed below the arm, an additional plate disposed above said arm, a bolt extending through the outer end of the arm and through the adjacent ends of the plate, a

pair of depending fingers formed on the upper plate and extending downwardly ad jacent the opposed sides of the laterally extending arm of the throttle lever, the lower ends of said fingers extending through the adjacent end of the; lower plate, the lower free ends of the fingers beingdisposed upwardly to provide hooks for engagement with the lower plate to preventthe accidental displacement of'th'e fingers from said lower plate, said-fingers providing a, means whereby the plate andthe arm of the'throtliiil tle lever are adapted for simultaneous operation, a foot control rod secured to the lower plate, and a hand control rod secured to the upper plate. 7

2. In combination'with the throttle lever of a carburetor including the usual laterally extending arm associated therewith, of a plate disposed below the arm, an additional plate disposed above said arm, a bolt extending through the outer end of the arm and through the adjacent ends "of the plate, a pair of depending fingers formed on the upper plate and extending downwardly adjacent the opposite sides of the laterally extending arm of the throttle lever, the lower ends of said fingers extending through the 7 adjacent end of the lower plate, the lower free ends of the fingers being disposed upwardly to provide hooks for engagement with the lower plate to prevent'the accidental displacement of the fingers from said lower plate, said fingers providing a means whereby the plate and the arm of the throttle lever are adapted for simultaneous operation, an upstanding flange formed on the upper plate, and provided with the longitudinally extending slot, a hand operated rod having its forward end extending through said slot and disposed downwardly for engagement with the side of the flange, and a foot actuated rod secured to the lower plate.

3. In combination with the throttle lever of a carburetor including the usual laterally extending arm associated therewith, of a plate disposed below the arm, an additional plate disposed above said arm, a bolt extending through the outer end of the arm and through the adjacent ends of the plate, a pair of depending fingers formed on the upper plate and extending downwardly adjacent the opposite sides of the laterally extending arm of the throttle lever, the lower ends of said fingers extending through the adjacent end of the lower p1ate,.the lower iree ends of the fingers being disposed up wardly to providechooks for engagement with the lower plate to prevent the accidental displacement of the fingers from said lower plate, fingers providing a means whereby the plate and the arm of the throttle lever are adapted for simultaneous operation, an upstanding flange formed on the ally extending arm associated therewith, of

a plate disposed below the arm, an additional plate'disposed above said arm, a bolt extending through the outer end of the arm and through theadjacent ends of the plate, a pair of depending fingers formed on the upper plate and extending downwardly adjacent the opposite sides of the laterally extending arm ofthe throttle lever, the lower ends of said fingers extending through the adjacent end of the lower, plate, the lower free ends of the fingers being disposed upwardly to provide hooks for engagementwith the lower plate to prevent the accidental displacement of the fingers from said. lower plate, said fingers providing a means whereby the plate and the arm of the throttle lever are adapted for simultaneous operation, an upstanding flange formed on the upper plate, and provided with the longitudinally extending slot, a hand operated rod having its forward end extending through said slot and disposed downwardly for engagement with the side of the flange, a foot actuated rod secured to the lower plate, and a foot pedal for actuating the last mentioned rod, the rear end of the rod being adapted for slidable movement through the foot lever when the hand operated rod is actuated, and vice versa, and means tor returning the movable parts to their normal positions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' EDWARD I. MARSHALL. 

